


A Sword or a Shield

by CaptainoftheUSSTardis



Series: The Gemma Stark Series [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Parents, Dad AU, Family, Gen, Parent Tony Stark, Tony Stark's a dad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 03:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5727997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainoftheUSSTardis/pseuds/CaptainoftheUSSTardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since the big reveal of Iron Man ten months ago, the Stark Family's lives have become more public. Tony is no longer just a billionaire weapons dealer, he has become a super hero. Gemma Stark is worried about how reckless her father is becoming, and when technology like the Iron Man suit becomes public, it brings out dangerous competitors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the sequel to In Good Hands, taking place during Iron Man 2. I originally posted this on my fanfiction.net account back in 2013 and finished it in 2014. After editing In Goods Hands, I'm planning on editing this work as well.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

“Where is he?” Gemma Stark muttered, peeking on stage. Her father, Tony was supposed to be on stage by now. AC/DC’s _Shoot to Thrill_ was blasting over the speakers, and dancers wearing Iron Man-themed bikinis continued their routine. The whole thing was Tony’s idea, since the public apparently needed to be even more amazed by the suit. Gemma noticed that he was trying to be more extravagant and laid back in every way he could lately, well more than he usually was. It was the first Start Expo since Tony Stark revealed that he was Iron Man ten months ago. Ever since that press conference, their lives became more public. Tony was no longer just a rich weapons dealer, he was a super hero. Everyone adored him, and everyone who didn’t was competing against him.

Suddenly, Iron Man slammed onto the stage, and the crowd went wild. Metal arms came out of the stage, taking off the suit, revealing Tony Stark in a tuxedo, a giant smirk on his face. The dancers continued around him, and the music ended thirty seconds later. The crowd erupted in cheers. “Oh, it’s good to be back!” Tony announced, making them cheer louder. “Blow something up!” A man in the crowd yelled. “Blow something up? No, I already did that,” Tony replied.

The crowd silenced after that, and Tony began his speech.  “I’m not saying that, the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me.” The crowd cheered. “Oh, god,” Gemma groaned from backstage, where she was watching him. “I’m not saying,” he continued, “that from the _ashes of captivity_ , never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human history.” Everyone in stadium cheered again, and Gemma rolled her eyes. Tony spoke up again. “I’m not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping iced tea, because I haven’t come across anyone, who is man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best day!” Tony paused, taking in the applause.

“Please, it’s not about me,” he said. “It’s not about you; it’s not even about us. It’s about legacy. It’s about what we chose to leave behind for future generations. And that’s why, for the nest year, and the first time since 1974 the best and brightest men and women, of nations and corporations of the world pulled over their resources, shared their collective vision, to leave behind a brighter future.”

Gemma smiled. _Okay, the last part wasn’t that bad,_ she thought. The crowd cheered once more. “It’s not about us,” Tony continued, a little louder. “Therefore what I’m saying, if I’m saying anything, is welcome back, to the Stark Expo!”  The audience gave one more round of applause. “And now, making a special guest appearance from the great beyond to tell you what it’s all about, please welcome my father, Howard,” he finished. The crowd cheered, and Tony walked off stage. A video started playing on the giant screen of Howard Stark from 1974.

Gemma shifted her attention from the screen to her father. Just as she was about to talk to Tony he turned into a hall way. She approached the hall way to find her father with a worried look on his face. “What are you doing, are you okay?” she asked nervously. “Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” he told her. The two started to walk further backstage, where various technicians and guests were running the presentations. “Did you like my speech?” Tony asked. Gemma chuckled. “You flatter yourself, but I guess the end was okay,” she replied, smiling. He chuckled, put his arm around her, and kissed her head. “Where’s Pepper?” she asked. “She should be here soon. She came in by jet an hour ago and she had to do couple things for work.” She nodded.

An hour later, Tony’s body guard Happy approached them. “Okay, honey I have to go now. Stay here until Pepper comes and she’ll take you home in the jet, okay?” Gemma nodded. “Okay dad.”

"Love you,” he told her and kissed her cheek. “Love you too.” Not even two minutes after he left, Pepper appeared next to her. “Hi Gemma,” she greeted with a hug. “Hi Pep,” Gemma replied. “Is Tony here?”

"No, he already left.” Pepper nodded and the two walked out into the cool night air. Her father’s private jet was parked just in front of them. Just before they climbed the steps to board the jet, Pepper’s phone rang. She answered, uttered a few words the hung up. “Change of plans,” she told Gemma. “Your father has a senate hearing in Washington D.C. tomorrow at nine in the morning. We’re going to meet him there.” Gemma sighed and nodded. This hearing probably had something to do with the Iron Man suit. Since Tony’s reveal, the government was always on their case about how the suit is a threat to national security, or how they should give it to them. Tony always did his best to smooth-talk his way out of the predicament.

Pepper and Gemma took their seats in the jet. Gemma was by the window, how she liked it and Pepper sat beside her. She gazed up at the sky. There were many stars, but most of their light was drown out by the Expo, as well as the busy New York City. “Ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seatbelts, the plane is about to take off,” the flight attendant announced over the PA. Gemma did so, and two minutes later the jet started to move on the run way, and the eventful city disappeared behind her.

 

                                                                                                                          

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Senator Stern hit his gavel against the table. It was nine-thirty the next morning, and Gemma was sitting next to Pepper in the senate room in Washington D.C., a few rows behind Tony. Her father was sitting in front, before Stern and other government members. He was quietly talking to Pepper, about something almost inaudible. “Dad, turn around,” Gemma whispered to Tony, giving him a glare. “Mr. Stark, can we pick up now where we left off,” Stern called to Tony, hitting the gavel on the table again to catch his attention. “Mr. Stark!”

“Yes, dear?” Tony asked innocently, turning around to face the senator. The room gave a short laugh. “Can I have your attention?” Stern asked. “Absolutely.”

“Do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon?”      

“I do not,” Tony said simply. “You do not,” the senator repeated. “I do not; well it depends on how you define the word weapon.”

“The Iron Man weapon,” Stern said, becoming very annoyed. At first Gemma found the whole situation quite entertaining. Now she herself was getting tired of her father’s smart-ass routine. He was starting to behave like a teenager, not an adult, and both Gemma and Pepper knew that. “My device does not fit that description,” Tony stated. Stern had wide eyes. “W-well how would you-”

“I would describe it by defining it as what it is,” he interrupted. “As?” Senator Stern questioned. “As a high-tech prosthesis,” Tony told him. There was a laugh among the room.  Pepper rolled her eyes. “That’s actually the most apt description,” he told the crown in the room, turning around to look at them. Stern sighed. “It’s a weapon, it’s a weapon Mr. Stark,” he said. “Please, if your priority-” Tony started but the senator interrupted. “My priority is getting the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America.” _Nice try,_ Gemma thought. There is no way that Tony was going to let the government take the suit away. _She_ wouldn’t let the government take it away. It was at times like this when she wished that he’d never revealed that he was Iron Man. “Well, you can forget it,” Tony said sternly. “I am Iron Man, the suit and I are one. To turn over the suit would be to turn over myself which would be a level of servitude or prostitution depending on what state you’re in.” Once again, everyone in the room laughed, expect for Pepper, who sighed and buried her head in her hands and Gemma who didn’t smile. Stern scratched his head in embarrassment. “Uh, look, I’m no expert-”

“In prostitution, of course not, you’re a senator, come on!” The room laughed louder this time. Tony looked back to Gemma and Pepper. His smile instantly dropped when Pepper shot him a serious glare, and Gemma shook her head.  “I’m no expert in weapons,” the senator continued. “But we have someone here who is an expert. I would now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor.” Gemma glared. Along with her father, she hated Hammer. He had been competing with Stark Industries for the longest time, and tried to out do everything they accomplished. Most of the time Hammer had no avail, but he still managed to piss Gemma off. “Let the record reflect that I observed Mr. Hammer enter the chamber and I am wondering if and when any _actual_ expert will attend,” Tony said. Many of the people in the room murmured.

Justin Hammer stood up and glared at Tony, which he returned with a smirk. Senator Stern hit the table with the gavel again to silence the room. Hammer let out an annoyed laugh. “Absolutely,” Hammer said. “I’m no expert.” Gemma rolled her eyes. “I differ to you, Anthony. You’re the wonder-boy. Uh- senator, if I may, I might well not be an expert, but you know who was,” he turned to look Tony in the eye. “Your dad,” Hammer pointed at him. “Howard Stark. He was really a father to us all, to the military and industrial age. Let’s just be clear, he was no flower child, he was a lion, kind of why we’re here. In the last ten months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet, he insists it’s a shield, and he asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted Anthony, I really do. I would love to leave my door unlocked when I leave the house. But this ain’t Canada. You know we live in a world with grave threats that Mr. Stark will not always be able to foresee. Thank you. God bless Iron Man and God bless America.”

There was scattered applause. Gemma couldn’t believe that these people were buying his act. She knew that he was just trying to act like the big hero, that Tony couldn’t be trusted with the suit. “This guy’s an idiot,” she whispered to Pepper. She nodded in agreement. Stern spoke again. “Thank you, Mr. Hammer. The committee would now like to call Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber.”

Gemma’s eyes widened. She turned and saw Rhodey walk down the center of the room. No way could they’ve convinced him to speak against Tony. He trusted him. Tony got up from his seat and approached Rhodey. “Hey buddy, didn’t expect to see you here,” Tony said nonchalantly. “Look, it’s me, I’m here, deal with it,” Rhodey replied in an annoyed tone. They bickered for two seconds before they sat down. “I have a complete report on the Iron Man weapon, compiled by Colonel Rhodes, and Colonel for the record, will you please read page fifty-seven, paragraph four-” Stern said before being interrupted.

“You’re requesting that I read specific selections from my report sir?”

“Yes sir.”

“It was to my understanding that I would be testifying in a much more comprehensive and detailed-”

“I understand…” the two continued to argue until Rhodey gave up and read the paragraph from the report. Gemma gazed up at the clock to her right. Just after ten. She was starting to drift from the conversation in front of her. A couple lines from Rhodey’s report kept her interest. He read that since Tony didn’t work with the government, he couldn’t be trusted and imposed a threat. Gemma scoffed. Why would Rhodey write something like that? He knew Tony since university. They trusted each other with their lives. Her faith was restored shortly after when Rhodey tried to explain that there were more benefits of Iron Man than liabilities, although Stern didn’t what to hear it.

The two continued to speak over each other when Tony spoke up and said, “I’m not a joiner but I’ll consider Secretary of Defense if you ask nicely.” The room chuckled, and Gemma smiled slightly. Stern cleared his throat. “I’d to show the imagery connected to your report-”

“Don’t you think it’s premature to show these images?” Rhodey spoke up. “Colonel, I understand if you could just read those for us, that would be great,” Stern said. Rhodey gave an annoyed sigh and explained the images that came up on the screen to their right. They were air shots, of what looked like army bases. There were parts of the pictures that were zoomed-in to reveal copies the Iron Man suit, or at least attempts. Rhodey explained that people were trying to make reproductions of the suit, and that they were functional.

Gemma glanced at her father, who was doing something with his phone. Suddenly, a black window opened on the screen, running computer code. The sentence on the bottom of the window made her eyes roll. _Welcome Mr. Stark._ Many people in the room gasped as Tony over rid the screen. “Boy, I’m good,” he said. She scoffed. “I commandeered your screens. I need them. Now let’s see what’s really going on.”

Videos started to play on the screens. The first was of a metal suit that looked more than a giant bug than anything, walking out of some sort of warehouse. Not even thirty seconds after the suit malfunctioned and fell over, causing a collective gasp from the room. Gemma looked around; everyone stared at the screens in shock. A few people rose from their seats. “C-can you turn that off,” Stern began, pointing at the screen. Hammer quickly got up and fiddled with the cables in front of the screen.

A second video started to play, of a suit that was hurdling towards the ground and exploded. “Is that Justin Hammer?” Tony asked to no one in particular when a third video played. “How did Hammer get there?” The screen showed Hammer giving directions to a suit. Hammer was still fumbling with the cords when his suit on-screen malfunctioned. The sound of his on-screen cursing came through the speakers. Gemma giggled to herself.  Hammer then found the extension cord and ripped it apart from another, making the screen go black.

“I’d say most countries five, ten years away, Hammer Industries twenty,” Tony said.  Hammer fumbled back to his seat. “I’d like to point out that the test pilot survived,” Hammer informed, but it did little help. “I think we know the point that he’s making-” Stern started only to be cut off by Tony. “The point is you’re welcome,” he told the senator. “I’m your nuclear deterrent. It’s working, we’re safe, America is secure. You want property? You can’t have it! But I did you a big favor,” he paused for a moment and turned around to the rest of the room. “I have successfully privatized world peace!”

The room erupted with cheers from almost everybody. Gemma sighed and glanced at Pepper who was giving Tony an annoyed glare.  Amid all the applause Senator Stern rose from his seat and cursed at Tony. He only responded by blowing him sarcastic air kisses. He exited the room shortly after giving a short speech to the news crew who were filming the hearing. After almost everyone cleared out, Gemma and Pepper looked at each other and left to the jet, where Tony was already celebrating with champagne.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
